Conference misery::feline_v1

One of my mom's cats at one time looked like her back leg was cramping 
after jumping down from the bed (or something) a couple times.
Turned out that the vet said she was becoming arthritic.   
The cramping didn't persist, though.    

-Tanya

    four times in 1 1/2 what?
    

    Sorry, it was 4 times in the past year and a half.  I don't see him do
    this often and he'll be 6 in Nov.  
    
    Di

    I know zip about epilepsy in cats, but my brother's beagle developed it
    when he was an adult, which is apparently the pattern in beagles.  If
    this is what's happening (did the vet give you any clues about how to
    tell?  I never saw the dog have a seizure, so I can't say),
    the question is, will it get worse (my recollection is that it doesn't)
    and do you want to use medication to reduce the frequency and level of
    the seizures (tradeoff between constant medication and effects of the
    seizures).
    
    My uneducated guess is that if it hasn't gotten worse in a year and a
    half, it's not going to and its not due to something really bad (or
    it would have progressed).  
    
    But this is puzzling;  I can understand your feelings not knowing
    exactly what is wrong.
    

    The woman I work with just had this problem with her cat.  He became
    listless and began having seizures.  After taking it to the vet (who
    couldn't determine the problem) they began investigating the plants
    in the house.  Come to find out, they found one he had been chomping
    on and it is extremely poisonous.  Due to the cats weight and size
    it appears to be leaving his system (after some heavy medication from
    the vet).  I wonder if your little one is munching on something he's
    not supposed to be?
    
    Cindy
    
    

    FWIW - I asked a feline cardiologist who happened to be at my house
    buying a kitten about the connection between extended steroid use
    and calcium deficiency.  He says that its much rarer in cats.  They
    tolerate steriods over a long period of time much better than humans
    do. 
    
    We had discussed this possibility at one time as a reason for the
    cramping.
      Nancy
    

    re: .5  I don't have any plants in the house and I pretty much know the
    things Li likes to chomp on.  My apartment isn't that big, and I've
    pretty much kitty-proofed it because does get his little nose into
    EVERYTHING...
    
    re: .6  Thanx Nancy...I asked the vet to check to calcium deficiency
    too and he said that would show up in the blood tests.  Everything is
    fine there.  The steriods don't seem to be having a bad effect on him. 
    The thing is that he usually has these attacks right after I feed him
    in the morning and usually the mornings that I give him the pills. 
    But, I mean immediately after...not like I think he could have possibly
    digested these things that fast.  The vet doesn't have a clue about
    this....
    
    Di

    Right after you feed him and right after you give him a pill?
    Sometimes my Holly, if she eats too fast, immediately throws up.  Also,
    I would think that having a pill popped down his gullet might upset him
    enough so that he might throw up if he's just eaten or eats soon after.
    
    On the other hand, I'd expect it to happen more often than every few
    months if that's the case.
    
    One thing I've always been concerned about with my cats but that never
    seems to happen is a pill "going down the wrong way" which might cause
    something that looks like these seizures?  Is that possible, and more
    likely if he's pilled near eating time?
    

    Karen,
    
    This cat won't be pilled...I crush it up and put it in with his food. 
    It's a pretty small amount that he gets too.  I'm keeping a close eye
    on him now every morning after he eats, so far he's fine and happy and
    looking as healthy as ever.  This is really perplexing...
    
    Thanx, Di